Signaling what may be the last chapter of a decades-long saga, the federal Environmental Protection Agency has revealed the comprehensive final cleanup plan for the contaminated soil and groundwater at the Casmalai Resources Superfund Site in northwestern Santa Barbara County.
On Thursday, EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt and Region 9 Director Mike Stoker unveiled the proposal estimated to take five years and cost $60 million for the former hazardous waste landfill near the tiny town of Casmalia.
“Adding the Casmalia site to my emphasis list of sites requiring immediate, intense action, and signing this record of decision, demonstrates my commitment to ensure Superfund sites are addressed as quickly and safely as possible,” Pruitt said. “The final cleanup plan utilizes the most effective cleanup technologies and will ensure the Casmalia site will be addressed in a comprehensive and lasting manner.”
“What’s significant about today — the last chapter in any Superfund site is your record of decision and the record of decision is your final actions, your final remedial plans,” said Mike Stoker, EPA Pacific Southwest Regional Administrator Mike Stoker of Carpinteria.
EPA’s final remedy calls for removal of contaminated liquids and soils, engineered capping of waste disposal areas, design and construction of upgraded groundwater collection and treatment systems, natural breakdown of groundwater contaminants at some locations, long-term surface water management, and ongoing monitoring and maintenance to ensure onsite containment.
Operations and maintenance costs are estimated at $4.1 million per year, according to EPA estimates.
“As the former Santa Barbara County supervisor who requested EPA’s designation of Casmalia as a Superfund site more than 25 years ago, this is an especially meaningful milestone,” Stoker said. “Casmalia is a wonderful example of how successful the Superfund process can be when local, state, and federal partners collaborate in the name of protecting public health and revitalizing land.”
Stoker toured the facility Thursday, years after his first visit in 1994.
“Back then, it was gnarly ponds and nasty looking stuff,” he told Noozhawk. “Today it’s basically dried up ponds. There’s only one pond, it’s pretty clear water.”
“This is a big day for the community that really went through a lot in the early stages,” Stoker said. “They know with the EPA Superfund status their public health and safety has been protected.”
Once the site began accepting toxic waste, all water, including precipitation, had to be contained on site, according to permits for the landfill to operate. However, cleanup will mean restoration of creeks and natural water flow, Stoker said.
“Rainwater will be able to flow freely through the site through now what will be dried up ponds that have been completely cleaned, that pose no risk to the public,” Stoker said. “You’ll have a situation where Mother Nature will be allowed to be Mother Nature.”
The Casmalia Resources Superfund Site sits on a 252-acre former commercial hazardous waste management facility, which accepted about 5.6 billion pounds of wastes from more than 10,000 generators between 1973 and 1989.
The waste material included sludges, petroleum wastes, pesticides, solvents, acids, metals, caustics, cyanide and non-liquid polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), EPA officials said.
The facility owners and operators were Casmalia Resources, Hunter Resources Inc., and the late Kenneth H. Hunter, Jr. who abandoned closure and cleanup efforts in 1991 while facing multiple regulatory enforcement actions.
EPA officials said conditions at the time posed “imminent and substantial endangerment to human health and the environment,” leading to a decision to use emergency Superfund powers from 1992 to 1996.
Since 1997, EPA has been managing or overseeing work being conducted at the site.
Although the site has been stabilized and poses no immediate risks to the public, the final cleanup work will provide long-term community protection, EPA officials added.
The plan came after federal EPA staff consulted with state and regional agencies along with community stakeholders. Collaborative efforts included protecting wildlife species such as the California red-legged frog and the California tiger salamander.
Stoker said he wants to have a community event to celebrate when the final phase of the cleanup begins, noting some community members have been involved for 30 years.
“This is kind of the final chapter for everybody in what was a bad situation,” Stoker said, calling it a positive story. “The public knows that what’s in their backyard is not going to subject them to any risk now or forever in the future, so it’s a real win-win.”
— Noozhawk North County editor Janene Scully can be reached at jscully@noozhawk.com. Follow Noozhawk on Twitter: @noozhawk, @NoozhawkNews and @NoozhawkBiz. Connect with Noozhawk on Facebook.